My skin is really sensitive and annoying. If it’s dry, it gets bumpy; 0ver-moisturized – bumpy. If I use sunscreen, it gets bumpy. My skin’s natural inclination to get bumpy in all circumstances is only exacerbated by the fact that I spend most of my life in semi-sweaty workout clothes, opening it up to all kinds of fun, funky bacteria.

Dermatologists have told me to go as basic as I can on my skin regime, but to always wear sunscreen. Basically, skip all of the chemicals, acids, etc. All the fancy promises on skin product labels usually mean more ingredients that could irritate my skin, so I have to ignore them and get the most stripped down stuff I can find.

A friend at the gym mentioned using coconut oil, from the baking section, as an anti-fungal moisturizer one day, so I decided to check it out. I love the smell of coconut, but was worried it would be overpowering, and I typically opt for lotions rather than oils so I won’t be greasy, but I decided to give it a shot.

Now, on the other side of skepticism, I am loving coconut oil.

Coconut oil has no additives – not even water, which can inflate, then later deflate your skin cells, and it’s loaded with antioxidants to combat free radicals, wrinkles and age spots. The fatty acids in coconut oil prevent fungal and bacterial infections, and it’s been found helpful in the fight against acne, psoriasis and eczema.Coconut oil even has sunscreen and deodorant capabilities without any harmful, harsh ingredients. Oh, and I don’t even notice the smell once it’s on, so I can wear my normal sprays and perfumes without the scents fighting each other.

Since coconut is a solid at room temperature, it’s less messy than other oils, and easy to travel with. I have a smaller plastic container I keep some in for that purpose. Whenever I’m about to shower, I run hot water in the sink, stop it up, and set the closed container of coconut oil in the water to melt while I bathe. Once I’m out, it’s ready for slathering all over. You can also rub it quickly in your hands to warm it up.

I’m going to look into using coconut oil for babies too, since baby oil contains mineral oil which is a petroleum byproduct. We plan to have a family, and I wouldn’t put something on my child that I wouldn’t put on myself. I’ve read of it being used as a hair moisturizer and even a tool for intimacy, so it has multiple uses in your home from the kitchen, to the bathroom, to the bedroom.

If you’re in the market for a safe, gentle moisturizer for your entire body, consider trying coconut oil. If it doesn’t make me bumpy, everyone should be in the clear.